DISCLAIMER: I asked my mom if there was any way I was distantly related to Tolkien. She laughed at me and said no. That means that there is no way that I could possibly own Lord of the Rings, not even a small part of it. I own Gwen and Maedron, though! Hey, this is the last time I will have to write a disclaimer for this story!! Whoa.

Gwen awoke much like she had the last time she was in the House of Healing. The sun was on her face, the birds were singing, and her side was throbbing. Nori hadn't let Gwen get up since the weary army had marched into Minas Tirith three days ago. The poor elf maiden was beginning to go a little crazy, so she decided to take matters into her own hands. Gingerly, she pushed herself up out of bed and began to make her way across the room where her clothes were lying out.

" Goodness sake, what do you think you are doing?!" Nori asked as she walked into the room. Gwen rolled her eyes and sighed. She was caught!

" Nori, you have kept me in bed for the last three days. Please, can I go out? I promise I won't go jump on a horse or anything," Gwen pleaded. Nori looked at the girl for a moment.

" Oh, all right," she said with an exasperated sigh. Gwen smiled happily and picked up her tunic.

" Oh, no you don't! I said you could go out, I didn't say you could wear that! Wait here," Nori commanded as she walked out the door. Gwen sat a chair and waited. Just wen she was ready to throw on her old clothing, she heard Nori's footsteps coming down the hall. The woman walked into the room with two large baskets over her arms.

" First, you are going to have a nice, long bath. I have brought some of my soap from home and some towels. Call for me when you finish your bath. Then, we will get you dressed like a lady," Nori said, putting emphasis on the word 'lady'. Gwen knew resistance was futile, so she waited until Nori filled the large tub with hot water, then got in. The water was luxuriously warm, and the light scent of lavender floated through the room as Gwen bathed. Once she was finished, she got out and wrapped one of the soft, fluffy towels around her body, wincing at the dark bruises on her torso.

" Nori!" she called. At least five other women bustled in with Gwen's nurse.

" Who are they and what are they doing here?" Gwen asked warily, eyeing Nori's troops.

" They are going to dress you," Nori answered as she began pulling out snowy underclothes from the second basket. Gwen began to back into a corner, but Nori stopped her.

" Gwen, they are not going to hurt you. Goodness, it goes beyond me how you can jump onto the back of a troll and be flung through the air, yet show terror at the sign of maids who are simply going to get you dressed," Nori scolded as she dragged Gwen into the middle of the room.

" How many people know that I did that?" Gwen asked as one of the women began winding a long silk cloth around her upper body.

" Just about all the people in Gondor. Hold still," Nori ordered as she began to button a white underskirt onto Gwen's waist.

" ALL of Gondor?" Gwen asked, her eyes wide.

" Is there an echo in here? Yes, all of Gondor. You saved the King, for goodness sake! You are a hero!" Nori exclaimed. Gwen remained silent. I hadn't intended on saving the KING, just Aragorn. But then, he is the king now, so in a round about way, I saved the King of Gondor, she thought as the women continued clothing her. They finished shortly. Gwen looked at herself in the mirror. They had bound her ribs tightly with the silk cloth so they wouldn't hurt. All she was basically wearing were some stockings and some underskirts.

" I fail to see how this makes me look like a lady," Gwen remarked.

" You silly girl, that is only the underwear. This will make you look like a lady," Nori said as she pulled a dress out of the basket. Gwen turned to look at the dress, and drew her breath in. It was a beautiful crimson color with wide sleeves from the elbows down. The skirt fanned out from the slender bodice and flowed like a red waterfall to the floor. Delicate gold embroidery lined the waist band, the area just above her elbows were all the flowing cloth began, and at the neck line, which was off the shoulder. Gwen reached her hand out to touch shimmery cloth, and found that it was a light - weight crushed velvet and very soft.

" Oh, stop gaping at it and let me put it on you!" Nori said, excited to see Gwen in such a beautiful thing. Nori gently pulled the dress over her head and began to button the back of it with tiny ruby colored buttons. Gwen turned and looked in the mirror, then smiled with happiness. She had never looked or felt so beautiful!

" Thank you Nori!" she squealed as she threw her arms around the woman, who hugged her back. Nori handed her some shoes that resembled slippers. Gwen pulled them on.

" Go on, now, go get your elf!" Nori said, pushing her out the door.

" How many people know about him?" Gwen asked nervously.

" Oh, all of Gondor," Nori answered simply. Gwen's eyes widened in embarrassment. Nori winked at her, then walked down the hall. Gwen turned to follow.

" Gwen!" a woman's voice yelled from down the hall. Gwen turned to see Eowyn walking towards her.

" Eowyn!" she cried out as the woman drew closer. The two friends embraced gently.

" I have been trying to see you for the last three days, but your nurse wouldn't let me!" Eowyn exclaimed, holding both of Gwen's hands.

" Eowyn, you look lovely! And so healthy!" Gwen laughed happily.

" Look at you! I don't think I have ever seen you in a dress, let alone one as beautiful as this!" Eowyn said excitedly. They linked arms and walked slowly down the hall.

" So, what is this I hear about you and a certain Captain of the Guard?" Gwen asked, her eyebrow arched. Eowyn blushed.

" I was very upset and had the Warden take me to see the Steward, who turned out to be the Captain, Faramir. He understood how upset I was, so we began to spend long hours together. We fell in love, and are to be married!" Eowyn said happily. Gwen laughed, and Eowyn joined her.

" What about you and Maedron?" Eowyn asked.

" Maedron - oh, Frodo and Sam! How are they? I must go see them!" Gwen cried as she turned in a confused circle.

" That way. Come, I will walk with you," Eowyn said as she began leading Gwen down the hall. They had just reached the door when a man called Eowyn's name. Eowyn turned.

" Faramir!" she said happily as she walked into his arms. He embraced her, then turned to Gwen.

" This is Gwen," said Eowyn. Faramir's eyes lit up in surprise.

" So you are the one who saved the King? I am honored to meet you," he said, bowing slightly to her. Gwen smiled, not knowing what to say.

" Now, if you will excuse us, I need to talk with Eowyn," he said. Gwen nodded and smiled at Eowyn.

" I will see you later, Gwen," she said as they walked down the hall. Gwen watched them go, then knocked on the door. Pippin opened it.

" Oh, aye, it's Gwen! Gwen's here!" he cried happily as he led her into the room. She laughed as she entered. All the others were already inside.

" Frodo!" she said when she saw the hobbit.

" Gwen! Wonderful!" he exclaimed as she ran over to him and gave him a hug.

" Eh! What about me?" Sam asked from behind her. Gwen whirled around and hugged Sam, her blue eyes merry.

" We're all together again," she observed. Aragorn nodded in agreement.

" I'm hungry," remarked Pippin, sending the others into fits of laughter again. Gwen seated herself on the bed as Frodo began to tell of their journey through Mordor.

Later that evening, after all the stories had been told, Gwen wandered out onto one of the terraces that overlooked the gardens. It's all over. The battle for Middle Earth is won, she thought.

" Gwen," said Maedron as he walked up behind her. She turned and faced him.

" Maedron, I was just about to go looking for you," she said as he neared her. He walked up next to her and rested his elbows on the balcony railing. After a moment, he looked at her.

" You are beautiful, Gwen," he said softly. She smiled at the simple remark.

" It's just the dress," she said.

" No, you are beautiful in battle, when we are camping, everywhere. You don't need a dress to be beautiful," he continued, looking at her. She bit her lip to keep the tears from falling.

" Where are you going to go, now that it is finished?" he asked her. Gwen started to speak, then stopped. Where am I going to go, she thought.

" I don't know," she said after a moment.

" Back to your home?" he asked. Gwen drew her breath in sharply. Galadriel's words came back to her again, it is good to cry, just do not cry alone.

" My home is gone," she said, barely audible.

" All your family has sailed away?" Maedron asked.

" No, it is gone, " she said, then braced herself to continue. " I went out for a ride one day because I was upset. During the time I was gone, orcs attacked my home, killing everyone and burning everything. We had no defense because my father kept sending our army out to fight the orcs, so our army eventually shrank to one troop. We lived in a crater, and there was no way out except through the main gate. I got back, and found all I had ever known was gone, so I went to Rivendell after I found a summons in my father's hand. And now I am here," she finished, tears falling down her face. Maedron looked at her, a deep sadness welling up inside his heart. Gwen struggled to keep from sobbing, but the pain in her ribs didn't let her keep it inside. Maedron wrapped his arms around her as she cried, a few tears trickling down his own face. They held each other for a long time. When Gwen's tears finally ran out, it was growing late.

" I don't know where I am going to go," she muttered.

" Gwen, I love you," Maedron said, the short statement saying everything he had kept inside. Gwen pulled her head up and looked into his eyes.

" I love you too, Maedron," she said breathlessly, meaning every word. He slid his hand behind her head, then brought his lips down and kissed her on the mouth.

" Come with me, to the Grey Havens and across the sea," he said after he pulled away.

" Anywhere you want to take me," she said, brimming over with love and happiness. He kissed her again as the sun set.

On a terrace a little ways over, Merry and Pippin sat, smoking their pipes, watching the two elves.

" Ahh, love," sighed Pippin. Merry looked at Pippin like he had lost his mind.

" Since when did you start thinking about something other than your stomach?" Merry asked.

" Oh, come on, Merry. You can't tell me you haven't thought of Estella Bolger for one second on this entire journey," Pippin said, slightly annoyed at his friend's remark.

" Who?" Merry asked, feigning ignorance.

" Estella Bolger, the girl you have had your eye on for goodness knows how long, but have been to afraid to tell her how you feel," Pippin said, watching Merry's face turn red.

" I have a better chance with her than you've got with Diamond," Merry said breezily.

" You do not!" Pippin spluttered indignantly.

" I'll bet I can win Estella's love quicker than you can win Diamond's," Merry said.

" Now what makes you so sure about that?" Pippin asked. Merry pulled his pipe out of his mouth.

" I am taller than you," he replied jauntily.

" Now wait just a minute!" Pippin cried. The two hobbits went on in this fashion until it was time for dinner.

Thus the Battle for Middle Earth ended and Aragorn became King of Gondor. He married Arwen, daughter of Elrond, his true love. Eowyn and Faramir were also married, uniting the two Kingdoms of Rohan and Gondor. The four hobbits went back to the Shire, and Sam married Rosie Cotton. Later on, Frodo went over the sea and into the Undying Lands with Bilbo, Galadriel, Celeborn, and Gandalf. As for Gwen and Maedron, they were married and also crossed the sea into the Undying Lands, where they lived together forever.

THE END (or is it?)

I figured it would be best to end there. I don't know why, but you all know what happens anyway, at least those of you who have seen the movies or read the books. For those of you who haven't, go do so now!

OHMIGOSH!!!! It's OVER!! I can hardly believe it! SOB!!! I want to thank my lovely reviewers for reviewing! You all made me so happy! Keep checking up on me for a new fic. But not for a while because I started my own story over at fictionpress.net, so if you liked this one, go read that one! My name is the same, sandlover, so go type that into the search over there as soon as you finish reading here!

Lot's o' love,

Sandlover